Chosen One: Alexandre Daigle documentary - Release date, how to watch and all other details about NHL's infamous draft bust

Former NHL first overall draft pick Alexandre Daigle's documentary, "Chosen One: Alexandre Daigle," is set to premiere on Amazon Prime on Friday, January 26.

Produced in collaboration with NHL Productions, this documentary delves into Daigle's meteoric rise and subsequent struggles. After being selected first in the 1993 NHL Draft, Daigle faced the weighty expectations of being the Ottawa Senators' savior.

Daigle, who was once hailed as the next NHL superstar, faced unparalleled expectations following his selection. The documentary, directed by Jay Nelson, explores Daigle's extraordinary beginnings, the intense scrutiny he faced, and the subsequent challenges that led to his struggles in meeting those insurmountable expectations.

The executive producers include Steve Mayer, Ross Bernard, Craig Axelrod for NHL Productions, and Gary Cohen.

For Prime members in Canada, "Chosen One: Alexandre Daigle" can be accessed with a subscription of $9.99/month or an annual membership of $99. In the U.S., ESPN+ subscribers will exclusively enjoy the documentary on January 27, 2024, as part of the platform's offerings of original NHL content.

Alexandre Daigle's opinion on being called a draft bust

In his documentary "Chosen One: Alexandre Daigle," Daigle reflects on his once-promising career that fell short of the colossal expectations set for him. Widely regarded as a major disappointment, Daigle, now 48, acknowledges that the narrative surrounding his career wasn't as dire as it appeared in real-time.

During an interview with the Montreal Gazette, Daigle said:

“I had a view of the way it went as I was living it, but reliving it and looking at it, it was not that bad,” Daigle said. “It seemed terrible (at the time). To me, 30 years later … when they always say I’m the biggest bust ever, well no. I played almost 12 years."

He continued:

"I’d say the hype was something I couldn’t control and you have to put in perspective that it was a new franchise, it was a (partly) French-speaking town, it was a Canadian town, and you put all those things together. There’s a French-Canadian guy that’s tearing up the junior league … and the hype was so big.”

Selected by the Ottawa Senators as the first overall pick in the 1993 draft, Daigle, a Quebecois phenom, had dominated the junior league with the Victoriaville Tigres. However, he struggled to meet the lofty expectations in the NHL, unlike his draft peers Chris Pronger and Paul Kariya, who went on to have illustrious careers and entered the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Despite not achieving greatness in the NHL, Daigle played nearly 12 years in the league.